Even those people who pay great attention to their safety and security, quite often can find themselves having to deal with unforeseen emergencies requiring help. Typically, most individuals do not carry the means to alert others to their situation. While two-way radios, locator beacons and GPS alert systems do offer the ability to call for help, the vast majority of individuals engaging in recreational activities do not utilize these solutions as they are often costly, subscription-reliant, require independent licensing, are ill-suited for their specific needs or conflict with the users desire to carry other fun-based electronic devices with them outdoors.
Mobile and wireless technology have touched our lives in a multitude of ways ranging from communicating with friends and family to managing different aspects of our personal and business functions. Mobile technology is now also making a foray into personal safety management given the broad range of features and functions it possesses to facilitate things like transmitting various signals for assistance.
The drawback with handheld devices is that users need to visually look at the phone in order to use it. It is very hard to try to use the mobile device in a concealed or hidden way. If the mobile device is in a person's pocket, bag or purse, it makes it that much more difficult to try to access it, look at the device and use it for a particular purpose. And one cannot figure out the current state of the device or operate any of the functions without actually looking at it.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a personal safety device that is light, reliable, effective and adaptable to many different activities and circumstances and capable of being automatically deployed.